September 2020

LFAC continues to advocate free Independent school education

The London Fee Assistance Consortium (LFAC) is set to kick-off its annual awareness campaign, targeted at promoting affordable independent education, including easy access to information on the free places available at top performing schools in London. LFAC has existed for well over a decade and maintains its ongoing ambition to inform as many families as possible of the support they could receive.

Challenging misconceptions around the cost of independent education is more important than ever in a post COVID-19 and lockdown world. Many more families find themselves in financially uncertain circumstances and may wrongly rule out considering an independent education for their academically able child.

The independent schools of London provide some of the very best educational opportunities available to children in the UK. They are often noted for high academic standards and a diverse range of education opportunities. Each of the 31 member schools within the LFAC group is proudly different and opportunities for assistance with fees range from bursaries, scholarships, assisted places and sponsored awards. What remains the same across the group is the positive outcomes for families. If children are able to show that they can benefit from an independent education, LFAC will attempt to make that dream possible.

Fee assistance is now widely available as most schools carry out a means-test that looks at income, assets and liabilities; free places are awarded to those on low incomes and partial awards offered to those on middle incomes. Schools also usually provide financial support for trips, music lessons and a range of other costs such as lunches, uniforms and sports equipment when needed.

The two most common types of support remain scholarships and bursaries. Scholarships are merit-based and awarded to those who excel academically or in sport, music, art and drama. Bursaries are means-tested and designed for those who pass the entry examinations but would struggle to pay annual attendance fees.

The Independent Schools Council (ISC) Annual Census 2020, published earlier this year, found that over a quarter of new pupils to ISC schools joined from the state-funded sector. The census went on to suggest that £442 million had been provided in means-tested fee assistance for pupils and that half of all pupils on means-tested bursaries had more than half of their fees remitted. Last year the ISC Census showed that a third of pupils attending fee-paying schools benefitted from some form of fee-assistance.

The LFAC website, www.feeassistancelondonschools.org.uk, hosts an inventory of 31-member schools, who are all currently offering subsidised and free places. This portal provides everything a parent or carer many need to know about the school, including admission policies and arrangements for fee assistance.

In addition to the LFAC website, the group is aiming to raise wider awareness with an extensive ‘Top Schools, No Fees’ marketing campaign. This features adverts in London media, across social media, digital platforms such as YouTube and across the London Underground network of stations and tube trains.

Ends

Editors Notes

London Fee Assistance Consortium (LFAC) is comprised of both single-sex and co-educational schools and consists of the following participating educational institutions:

Alleyn’s School;  Arnold House School; Bancroft’s School; Brentwood School; Chigwell School; City of London School; City of London School for Girls; Eltham College; Emanuel School; Forest School; Francis Holland School, Regent’s Park and Sloane Square; Godolphin and Latymer; Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School; Haberdashers Askes Girls’ School ; Hampton School; Highgate School; James Allen's Girls' School; John Lyon School; King’s College School, Wimbledon; Kingston Grammar School; Knightsbridge School; Latymer Upper School ; North London Collegiate; Northwood College for Girls GDST; Queen’s College, London; St Benedict’s School; St Helen’s School; St Paul’s School; University College School; and Westminster School.

For more information, please visit www.feeassistancelondonschools.org.uk

Press Contacts

Louise Young

WSA Communications

Email: louise.young@wsacommunications.co.uk

Tel: 01908 371177